Tom Petri, R-Fond du Lac and the second-ranking Republican on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, inserted the designation of U.S. 41 as a future interstate in a last-minute amendment



Tom Petri, R-Fond du Lac and the second-ranking Republican on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, inserted the designation of U.S. 41 as a future interstate in a last-minute amendment

Bill paves way for U.S. 41 as interstate
Legislation would bring in $206.5M for Wisconsin road, bridge projects

By Brian Tumulty
Press-Gazette Washington bureau
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WASHINGTON — The House passed a six-year transportation bill Thursday that increases the state’s federal-highway funding by 23 percent and designates U.S. 41 between Green Bay and Milwaukee as a future interstate.

The legislation also earmarks $206.5 million for 49 projects throughout the state, including $25.6 million for a new Lake Butte des Morts Bridge on U.S. 41 in Winnebago County and $20 million for improvements to U.S. 10 between Marshfield and Stevens Point.

Overall, the state would receive just over $4 billion for the repair and improvement of area roads and bridges over six years, up from $3.3 billion over the previous six years.

Jim Donlin, lead budget analyst for the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, said his agency supports the designation of U.S. 41 as a future interstate. “It’s going to cost a lot of money to get it up to interstate standards, but we have two projects scheduled anyway,” he said, noting that the new Lake Butte des Morts Bridge is one of them.

U.S. Rep. Tom Petri, R-Fond du Lac and the second-ranking Republican on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, inserted the designation of U.S. 41 as a future interstate in a last-minute amendment.

”It would be a selling point for the area,” said Petri, noting that it would help with economic development and tourism.

The House legislation passed in a lopsided 417-9 vote fits within a $284 billion, six-year spending limit sought by the Bush administration.

The Senate has not voted on its version of the transportation bill and, after it does, House and Senate negotiators will have to reconcile the differences.

The previous six-year highway and public transit law expired in September 2003, but Congress was only able to pass a temporary extension last year because of disagreements with the administration over funding levels.

According to Petri, an increase in federal highway and transit spending is necessary to maintain international competitiveness. “A first-rate infrastructure network is essential to a vibrant, growing economy and we are in danger of falling behind since, in real terms, our federal investment is falling behind,” he said.

The 18.4-cents-a-gallon federal gasoline tax that generates revenue for the highway trust fund has not been increased since 1993.

Budget watchdog groups, however, were critical of the more than 4,128 special earmarks totaling $12.4 billion that House members designated for their congressional districts and that take away discretion from state highway authorities in deciding how to spend the money.

“Instead of tightening their fiscal belt, Congress had instead decided to fund horse trails, museums, interpretive centers, and water taxis,” said Keith Ashdown of Taxpayers for Common Sense. “In short, Congress is suffering from a form of budgetary amnesia. Just weeks ago, lawmakers were talking about the need for fiscal restraint, but in this first chance to follow through, they ended up breaking the bank.”

But House members contend that they are better at judging the value of local projects.

U.S. Rep. Mark Green, R-Hobart, said the $7 million earmarked for a new bridge in Sturgeon Bay was critical to the economy of Door County.

“It’s a doorway to one of the most breathtaking regions of our state, and a vital commercial artery for folks throughout our area,” Green said.

When this story was posted in March 2005, this was on the front page of PCOL:

The Peace Corps Library Peace Corps Online is proud to announce that the Peace Corps Library is now available online. With over 30,000 index entries in over 500 categories, this is the largest collection of Peace Corps related reference material in the world. From Acting to Zucchini, you can use the Main Index to find hundreds of stories about RPCVs who have your same interests, who served in your Country of Service, or who serve in your state.

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RPCVs in Congress ask colleagues to support PC RPCVs Sam Farr, Chris Shays, Thomas Petri, James Walsh, and Mike Honda have asked their colleagues in Congress to add their names to a letter they have written to the House Foreign Operations Subcommittee, asking for full funding of $345 M for the Peace Corps in 2006. As a follow-on to Peace Corps week, please read the letter and call your Representative in Congress and ask him or her to add their name to the letter.

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March 5, 2005: RPCV Groups in the News San Diego RPCVs host reception with Gaddi Vasquez on March 6 4 Mar Alaska RPCVs speak for dividend 4 Mar Western North Carolina's RPCVs sponsor Africa Night on March 6 3 Mar Maryland RPCVs lobby their Senators for Peace Corps 3 Mar Connecticut RPCVs hold fundraiser on March 5 3 Mar Charles Baquet speaks at Louisiana PC Breakfast on March 4 28 Feb RPCVs: Post your stories or press releases here for inclusion next week.

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March 5, 2005: This Week's Top Stories Senate FR Committee approves $345 M PC budget 4 Mar RPCV's "Kennedy's Kitchen" records second CD 4 Mar Sam Farr asks Army to reconsider burial policy 3 Mar Bayanihan jewelry designed by Philippines RPCV 2 Mar Todd Vetter receives calling during PC service 2 Mar Sargent Shriver still on Washington's A-list 2 Mar Photographer Bill Owens publishes new book 2 Mar Crisis Corps to open new program in Sri Lanka 28 Feb PC wants new stories for "The Great Adventure" 28 Feb Ukraine PCV asks "Is Bush right on Iraq?" 28 Feb Carol Bellamy defends "feminism" in aiding children 28 Feb John Bridgeland discusses role as Bush assistant 28 Feb Paul Theroux recalls high times with Hunter Thompson 28 Feb Elaine Chao Leads Delegation to Uruguay 28 Feb RPCV reunites with friend after 40 years 27 Feb Kay Muldoon-Ibrahim's photography on exhibit 27 Feb Jim Doyle displays political brilliance on tax cuts 26 Feb

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March 1: National Day of Action Tuesday, March 1, is the NPCA's National Day of Action. Please call your Senators and ask them to support the President's proposed $27 Million budget increase for the Peace Corps for FY2006 and ask them to oppose the elimination of Perkins loans that benefit Peace Corps volunteers from low-income backgrounds. Follow this link for step-by-step information on how to make your calls. Then take our poll and leave feedback on how the calls went.

Coates Redmon, Peace Corps Chronicler Coates Redmon, a staffer in Sargent Shriver's Peace Corps, died February 22 in Washington, DC. Her book "Come as You Are" is considered to be one of the finest (and most entertaining) recountings of the birth of the Peace Corps and how it was literally thrown together in a matter of weeks. If you want to know what it felt like to be young and idealistic in the 1960's, get an out-of-print copy. We honor her memory.

Make a call for the Peace Corps PCOL is a strong supporter of the NPCA's National Day of Action and encourages every RPCV to spend ten minutes on Tuesday, March 1 making a call to your Representatives and ask them to support President Bush's budget proposal of $345 Million to expand the Peace Corps. Take our Poll: Click here to take our poll. We'll send out a reminder and have more details early next week.

Peace Corps Calendar: Tempest in a Teapot? Bulgarian writer Ognyan Georgiev has written a story which has made the front page of the newspaper "Telegraf" criticizing the photo selection for his country in the 2005 "Peace Corps Calendar" published by RPCVs of Madison, Wisconsin. RPCV Betsy Sergeant Snow, who submitted the photograph for the calendar, has published her reply. Read the stories and leave your comments.

WWII participants became RPCVs Read about two RPCVs who participated in World War II in very different ways long before there was a Peace Corps. Retired Rear Adm. Francis J. Thomas (RPCV Fiji), a decorated hero of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, died Friday, Jan. 21, 2005 at 100. Mary Smeltzer (RPCV Botswana), 89, followed her Japanese students into WWII internment camps. We honor both RPCVs for their service.

Bush's FY06 Budget for the Peace Corps The White House is proposing $345 Million for the Peace Corps for FY06 - a $27.7 Million (8.7%) increase that would allow at least two new posts and maintain the existing number of volunteers at approximately 7,700. Bush's 2002 proposal to double the Peace Corps to 14,000 volunteers appears to have been forgotten. The proposed budget still needs to be approved by Congress.

Read the stories and leave your comments.